


A New Start

by TheShinyShovel



Series: Blythe in the Valley [1]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:54:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29987316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShinyShovel/pseuds/TheShinyShovel
Summary: In which Blythe finds a letter that will change her life (hopefully for the better!).
Relationships: Abigail & Player (Stardew Valley), Lewis & Player (Stardew Valley), Marnie & Player (Stardew Valley), Robin & Player (Stardew Valley)
Series: Blythe in the Valley [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2205804





	1. The Letter

Blythe never thought much about her adult life growing up. There was no imagining what she would do for a career, where she would live, or if she’d even find love or family. Instead, each passing day, week, and year consisted of Blythe ambling aimlessly into the dark of young adulthood, hoping that at least some of her choices made sense. If she had thought much about how she wanted her life to pan out, however, Blythe was pretty sure she’d be so upset with how it was turning out. She just didn’t care anymore.

Slush, salt, and watery slick from melting snow managed to make it through Blythe’s boots when she walked home from the Joja office that night. It had been another long day and evening of staring at a flickering computer screen and spreadsheets, and all Blythe wanted to do was sleep. She knew that the overtime was killing her mentally and physically, but it wasn’t like Blythe had anything else to do. She didn’t have any friends in the area (or any at all, really), the local bars and restaurants made her ears hurt more than the constant hum of vehicles by her apartment, and any hobbies she once had felt bland and uninteresting. Earning a bit more cash to cover her rent (that was most certainly going to go up next year, no doubt), instead of just staring at a wall in her apartment seemed like the most logical decision.

Blythe exhaled deeply upon stepping into her apartment. It may have been a tad cramped, but there was enough space for everything she needed. Emphasis on the needed. There were no houseplants, no rugs, no knick-knacks, not even photographs or pictures on the beige walls. Why would she even bother? It wasn’t like Blythe was home much to enjoy them.

After shrugging off her winter wear, Blythe filled the kettle with water for tea. She really needed to go grocery shopping soon – her fridge was lacking in much of anything to cook. Thankfully, there was a couple eggs and half a loaf of bread left. One could do a lot with just some eggs and bread. You could simply have eggs any-way and toast, or a toad-in-the-hole, or French toast. But for the latter, Blythe would’ve needed maple syrup, and she hadn’t had a drop of it since—

On late winter evenings like this one, when spring was hinting that it was approaching, Blythe thought of him and his old maple farm. She never got to see him much, living in the city and all, but her parents usually shipped her off to his house during spring break. That’s when Grandpa was busiest at his little farm, producing maple syrup the “old-fashioned way,” as he called it. He always said he appreciated the extra help from his “favourite” (read: only) grandchild. She’d gather eggs in the henhouse, check the sap buckets, play with the farm cats, build snowmen amongst the trees…

Blythe realized she was crying when her kettle started whistling. Grandpa passed away when Blythe was in her teens, and her mother died not long after. That little bubble of happy memories was simply nostalgia for a time and place that no longer existed. No use getting worked up about it.

But she couldn’t get Grandpa out of her mind. Over the next few days, Blythe’s imagination went into overdrive, thinking about sugar maples, playing in the snow, and snuggling with Grandpa in front of the fire in the evenings. It finally came to a head when Blythe remembered she actually had a few photographs of the farm kicking around in the house. Perhaps she’d even get a couple framed and actually hang them on the wall.

When she got home from work, Blythe dug underneath her bed and found a dusty, unmarked shoebox. It was exactly what she was looking for. Some of the shoebox pictures were of the maple trees in the summer, others were of Grandpa’s old farm cats curled up in a heap in front of the sugar-shack fireplace. There was even one of her Blythe’s mother as a little girl sitting on a horse. Blythe slowly flipped through all the photographs, slowly digesting the scenery in each one.

When she went to put them back in the box, Blythe noticed there was something else at the bottom of the shoebox. An envelope, with a message written in Grandpa’s lilted cursive.

_Blythe, open this when the city has become too much, when the modern world has made you weary, and when your desire for change has become unbearable. With love, Grandpa_

Blythe ran a thumb over the envelope, appearing to be just as crisp as it was the day Grandpa had sealed it. She had never seen this letter before, and wasn’t sure how it had gotten into the box. Regardless, that was most certainly Grandpa’s handwriting, and it was addressed to her.

Blythe forgot how to breathe, and then suddenly she was gasping for air. Zuzu City was too much. It had always been too much. If the modern world meant slaving away at Joja for the next thirty or forty years, then she could feel the weariness in her bones already. Suddenly, she realized her apartment felt more like a cage than a house. She realized that she really did hate her job. She hated spending all her time there. She missed doing things for fun. She wanted knick-knacks and rugs and houseplants. And most of all, she wanted her Grandpa and Mum.

Blythe got up from the floor to wash her face in the bathroom sink. She looked at herself in the mirror. Who was that?

Blythe ripped open the envelope. And Grandpa’s letter held exactly what it had promised: change.

* * *

The morning after reading a letter indicating that she was the sole heir to Sweet River farm, Blythe quit her job. Then in an adrenaline rush, she ran to the closest barbershop. And a few days after that, Blythe was one-way ticket bus ride to Stardew Valley. She slept on the bus, and it was the best sleep Blythe had had in a long while.

When Blythe stepped off the bus, she expected to take in a deep breath of fresh, clean air. Instead, she got the wind nearly taken out of her.

“Oh my god! You look just like your mum!” A middle-aged woman wrapped Blythe in a bear hug, “Welcome to Pelican Town!”

Blythe was in such a shock that all she could do was squeak. The woman backed off, but her enthusiasm didn’t.

“Oh goodness, it’s been awhile. You were just a wee thing the last time I saw you.”

Blythe still hadn’t recovered from the jump attack, and she just stared at the woman.

The woman’s expression softened. “Sorry about that. I’m Robin, your mother and I grew up together.”

“I’m Blythe.” She smiled.

“I’m really glad you’re here. Why don’t we head down to the farm? The Mayor is waiting for us.”

* * *

The farm was not quite the same as Blythe remembered. Robin had been kind enough to clean up the front yard a bit (on such short notice, too), but Blythe was still surprised by what awaited her. Much of the sugar maples were still intact, much to Blythe’s comfort and delight, and the farmhouse was still standing (curtesy of some other locals checking in on it every now and then), but there was a still a lot of work to be done. From what Blythe could see, much of the farm on the river had become heavily overgrown with brush.

“I didn’t know Martin had left the farm to his grandchild, though I suppose that makes sense.” Lewis scratched his chin. “You’re not quite who I expected to take over this place…”

Before Blythe could defend herself, Robin crossed her arms over her chest “Yeah? Well, nobody expected someone like me to become a carpenter and fix your roof every time it leaks, but here we are.”

“Th-that’s not what I meant.” Lewis tried to cover up his tracks, but by Robin’s glare, she wasn’t buying it.

“Um…” The tension growing these two made Blythe start fidgeting with her hands.

Robin turned to Blythe and smiled. “Anyway…the house is in good condition. Just turned on the water this morning, so don’t be startled if the bathroom and kitchen taps spit a bit for the next while. Also, if you need anything just take the trail north of here to the mountain. I live up there.”

Lewis smiled despite what had just transpired. “Yes. I know your grandfather was known for his maple syrup, he had some crops going too. I’ve left a few packets of seeds inside your house so you can get planting right away.”

 _Her_ house. Blythe’s house. She could feel the colour rise to her cheeks. Too late to back out now, but it’s not like she had anything to lose.

“Oh! And welcome, really. I’m glad you’re here. You should come to town tomorrow and start meeting some of your new neighbours.”

“Yeah!” Robin chirped, “My kids are about your age. My daughter said she’d like to meet you.”

Blythe nodded and smiled, beginning to feel quite overwhelmed by all this information. “Great!”

“Well…” Lewis said, “I suppose we should let you settle in. There’s something in the fridge you can heat up. I know you said you wouldn’t be bringing much with you.” Lewis looked at Blythe’s sole suitcase next to her feet.

Blythe smiled. “Sounds good. Thanks!”

“Have a good evenin’ Blythe.”

“Thanks, you too!”

“See you soon.”

And though Blythe was hungry and she had slept much of the way here, she felt so drained that she went straight to bed. Her new life could begin tomorrow. For now, that weariness that city life had inflicted demanded rest.


	2. the first day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Blythe's first full day in Pelican Town. What adventures await her?

The sun wasn’t quite fully in the sky by the time Blythe had finished planting her first crop: parsnips, seeds curtesy of the Mayor. Blythe had gotten up at the crack of dawn. This was because she went to bed so early, but it certainly wouldn’t be a bad habit – this was a new life for her, after all, and farmers had to get up early. But despite the fact that this was supposed to be a new life for herself, the last thing Blythe wanted to do now was to keep clearing land for more crops. Blythe’s muscles were already complaining from the work. Even so, Blythe didn’t feel homesick or miss her old desk job.

Blythe wiped her brow and adjusted Grandpa’s old straw hat she found in the broom closet. Perhaps it would be alright to take a break, but that didn’t mean she had to sit in the house. Both Lewis and Robin had mentioned that Blythe should go introduce herself to her fellow townspeople. A beautiful spring day like this one meant that people would surely be out and about. Besides, she needed to get more seeds anyway. A note with Lewis’ gift had mentioned he bought the parsnip seeds at a store in town. Some groceries would be a good idea too. And so, Blythe washed up, grabbed her backpack, and headed out.

Pelican Town wasn’t too far east from Sweet River Farm, but it still took Blythe a good walk to get there. She really had no idea what to expect – Grandpa hadn’t taken her outside of the farm much when she was in the Valley, and even if she had, it had been at least ten years since she had last been here. Blythe’s fears were calmed when she reached the edge of town. It wasn’t like Zuzu City, with its hard lines, brutalist architecture, and grid structure. Instead, the brick roads were worn down by foot traffic and time. Grass and early spring wildflowers clung to the path’s outskirts and outside of the modest houses and buildings lining the streets. Blythe didn’t see anyone out and about like she was – it seemed as if Pelican Town was still waking up. She walked farther into town, looking for the store Lewis had mentioned in his note.

“Hey! Are you the new farmer?” A warm, feminine voice called out.

“Um…yes?” Blythe turned towards the source of the voice, and she saw a middle-aged woman approaching her. She was wearing a fleece coat, and her honey-brown hair was tied down in a thick side-braid. And, Blythe thought, she looked like she’d give good hugs.

“Nice to meet ya.” The woman took one of Blythe’s hands and shook it. “I’m Marnie. Lewis told me you arrived yesterday.”

“I’m Blythe--Martin’s granddaughter.”

“Well I’ll be!” Marnie grinned, “I’m your new neighbour, just south of Sweet River. If you need anything, just stop by, okay? I own the ranch there.”

“Okay.” Blythe replied. So far, everyone she had met had been overwhelmingly friendly. Okay, she had only met three people. But things were looking promising.

“So…there’s store around here, right? I need to buy more seeds and food.”

Marnie chuckled. “We’re standing right in front of it!”

Blythe turned her head to the left. A wooden sign carved with “PIERRE’S” hung above the door of the building she and Marnie were closet too.

“Oops.” Blythe mumbled.

“C’mon, let’s go in. I’m here to buy some groceries myself, actually.”

It was like walking into a children’s picture book. To the left, wooden crates of early spring produce (beans, greens, and yes, parsnips) filled wooden crates against the store walls. To the right, non-perishable groceries, household cleaning products, and other goods lined the short and orderly aisles. And directly ahead of Blythe was a spring seed display and the front counter where the store’s namesake was.

“Good morning Marnie! Is that the new Farmer?”

“Good morning Pierre. Yes, it is. It’s Martin’s granddaughter, Blythe.”

“I didn’t even know Martin had grandkids.”

“I was the only one.” Blythe said.

Pierre shrugged and pushed his glasses up his nose. “Ah well. Blythe, I sell the finest seeds on this side of the Valley. So I hope to be seeing you lots here.”

Something twinged inside of Blythe. This man seemed a tad too pushy for a sleepy town and quiet countryside, but he seemed nice otherwise. “Yes, for sure!” she replied.

“My wife’s out right now, but my daughter’s around. ABIGAIL!” Pierre hollered, “THE NEW FARMER’S HERE! COME SAY HI!”

Silence. Then a door farther back in the store slowly opened to someone Blythe, having had quick snapshot of Pierre’s personality, would definitely not have expected to have been Pierre’s daughter. Abigail had bright purple hair and wore dark purple lipstick. She had multiple piercings in each ear and most of her clothes were some shade of black.

“…yeah?” The young woman said.

Abigail was five-foot-nothing, but Blythe was pretty sure this young woman could snap her spine in two if she wanted. And for some reason, that made Blythe decide Abigail was friend-shaped.

“Hi! I’m Blythe, the new farmer.”

Abigail tilted her head, looked Blythe up and down, almost as if she were sizing her up. Then she smiled and nodded, “Hey. Just call me Abby.”

* * *

It was good to have some food in the house. Blythe wasn’t the greatest chef, but she could take care of herself. Wouldn’t it be fun to bake bread in this kitchen? Grandpa used to make the best sourdough, tasting so divine that it didn’t need butter. Though of course she always spread some on her slice.

Blythe swayed side to side as she stirred around vegetables in the frying pan, not being able to contain her joy. She felt _excited_ about something for once. She had a potential new friend and thought about a hobby she wanted to try. Those two things mightn’t have seemed like much to some, but to Blythe they were a beacon in the darkness of her mind. Though she was tired from a day of hard work (after her shopping trip, she had come home and planted more things: green beans, cauliflower, tulip bulbs), Blythe was, for once, actually looking forward to whatever tomorrow would bring.

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! Hope you liked this story so far. Thank you for reading! :)


End file.
